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May 05, Colombo: The traders of the Sri Lankan tea, the industry most adversely affected by the complete ban on weedicide glyphosate by President Maithripala Sirisena in 2015, have welcomed the government's decision to lift the ban for tea and rubber cultivations.
The tea traders pointed out that Sri Lanka's was losing a key market for its high and medium grown teas as Japan has rejected several shipments of Ceylon Tea due to excess residues of MCPA, a substitute weedicide used by planters due to the ban of glyphosate.
The Colombo Tea Traders' Association said the ban on Glyphosate imposed in 2015 had created a serious crisis vis-à-vis the Japanese market, with imminent consequences of a total suspension of imports of Ceylon Tea to that country.
"If this had transpired, it was inevitable that other countries which favor Ceylon Tea above all other producer nations would also have introduced regulatory measures, with catastrophic consequences," the Association said in a statement welcoming the decision to rescind the ban.
Full statement of the Colombo Tea Traders' Association:
Following positive discussions between His Excellency The President and the Chairmen of the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Colombo Tea Traders' Association, facilitated through the good offices of Mr. Asanka Dodanwela, Private Secretary to the Minister of Defense and H.E. The President's Office, earlier this week, a favorable decision was reached in regard to the lifting of the ban on the herbicide, Glyphosate, exclusively for the use by the Plantation Sector, under strict regulation of the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Tea Research Institute.
The Colombo Tea Traders' Association, the Apex Body of the country's Tea Industry, and all the Industry stakeholders are deeply indebted to H.E. The President, for his keen perception and sound judgment, and to the Honorable Minister of Plantation Industries, for his unrelenting efforts and dynamic endeavors, in achieving a successful resolution to this long-outstanding issue.
The Colombo Tea Traders' Association and the entire Tea Industry convey their sincere gratitude to His Excellency The President and the Honorable Minister of Plantation Industries, for the vital roles they played in rescinding the ban on Glyphosate imposed in 2015, which had created a serious crisis vis-à-vis the Japanese market, with imminent consequences of a total suspension of imports of Ceylon Tea to that country. If this had transpired, it was inevitable that other countries which favor Ceylon Tea above all other producer nations would also have introduced regulatory measures, with catastrophic consequences.
Of Japan's total tea imports of 29 million kgs per annum for its domestic consumption, 8 to 10 million kgs comprised primarily the best quality premium grades of Ceylon Tea, at a value of US$. 45 to 50 million. The diminished competition caused by Japan's absence of participation at the Colombo Tea Auction would have adversely affected the prices realized on approximately 50 million kgs of tea offered through the auction, to an estimated extent of Rs.150/- to 200/- per kg, which would have accounted for an exponential loss of about US$. 50 to 65 million. This would have seriously impacted the tea plantations, the small holders and over two million workers, directly and indirectly dependent for their livelihood on the tea industry, exacerbating the detriment to which the tea industry had already been subjected over the preceding three years.
The judicious application of Glyphosate on tea plantations, which had stood the test of time over a period in excess of 40 years without any inimical effect, was inexplicably halted by the ban of its use in 2015. Since there were no perfectly suitable alternatives to replace it, the Tea Industry was compelled to apply other available herbicides, weedicides and chemicals to control the proliferation of weeds in plantations, which was significantly affecting yields. The drop in production cost the tea industry a loss of Rs.26 billion each year. Furthermore, since the maximum residue levels [MRLs] for these particular chemicals imposed by Japan on imports of tea were too low to accommodate adherence, Japan had already commenced rejecting substantial volumes of tea consignments from Sri Lanka for non-compliance with the prescribed MRLs which can otherwise only be achieved by using the world's most accepted herbicide in the international agricultural world. Sri Lanka's competitors amongst all other producer countries were placed at a distinct advantage through the continued use of Glyphosate on their tea plantations as a weed eradicator. Consequently, in substitution, a large percentage of purchases of Tea usually procured from Sri Lanka were being obtained from other origins, adding to the already considerable losses being incurred by the tea industry and the country.
We are indeed happy that this disaster which was inflicted on the tea industry that created financial, commercial and reputational losses has come to an end.
Source - http://www.colombopage.com/archive_18A/May05_1525532474CH.php
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